Machine for pulling stalks.



PATENTED MAY 24, 1904.

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MACHINE FOR PULLING STALKS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2, 1903.

no MODEL.

ms uoams PEYERS ea, Puovouma, wranwcrou, D, c.

PATENTED MAY 24, 1904.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

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Patented May 24, 1904.

PATENT OFF i GEORGE MILTON KIRKPATRICK, OF-ENNIS, TEXAS.

.MACHINE FOR PULLING STALKS-Q i SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 760,877, dated May 24, 1904. 1

Application filed July 2, 190a Serial- Nof164p44. (N model.)

re ally/ham it may concern:

.. Be it known that I GEOR E MIL'roN KIRK? PATRICK, a citizen of-theUnited States, and a resident of- Ennis, in the county of Ellis andState of. Texas, have invented a new and Improved Machine for PullingStalks, of which the following is a full, clear, and. exact description.

-The purpose of the invention is to provide a machine especiallydesigned for pulling up corn and cotton stalks by the roots and break:ing the stalks in small pieces when desired and to provide aconstruction of the character described which will. be simple, durable,and economic and wherein the stalks will be guided to thepulling-section of the machine, and the pulling-section may be adjustedto suit the average height of the stalks and bodily raised and loweredat any time to permit the pulling-section to be carried out of the wayof obstructions when occasion so demands.

- The invention consists in the novel constructionand combination oftheseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointedout in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings,- forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figuresx Figure 1 is a plan view of themachine. Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the pulling cylinders ordrums, illustrating the application of cutters to one of them. Fig. 3 isa transverse section through the pulling cylinders or drums, the Icutters being omitted.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section taken' practically on the line4.4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail View of a bearingwbox for one of thepulling cylinders or drums anda controlling-spring for the box, and Fig.Grepresnts plan and endyiews of the pulling-slats and the cuttersemployed in the construction of the pulling drums or cylinders.

. Theaxle is provided at each end with a loosely-mountedsupporting-wheel 11, and these wheels have suitable boxes at their innerfaces concealing pawl-and-ratchet connec- -or tongue.

tionsof the usual type between the said wheels and the axles, so thatthe axle 10 will be turned by the driving-wheels only when the machine"is drawn forward.

The axle 10.near each end passes through bearings 13 and 14, and theside pieces 15 of the forward frame-section A are secured. to the upperportions of the outer bearings 13,

thus bringing the axle 10 below the said forard section A of the frame.15 of. this forward frame-section extend rearwardly a desired distancebeyond the axle, and the forward members 16 of the said forwardframe-section are more or less curved and are connected at theirinnerends to opposite sides of the pole or tongue, which extendshorizontally rearward to therear end of the said forward frame-section,and a drafttree I 18 is pivoted on the tongue 17 being usually connectedby chains 19 at its ends with theforward members of the forwardframesection A. 7

The rear frame-section B, completing the main frame of the machine,consists of side pieces 20, which at their foward ends are secured tothe upper faces of the inner bearings 14, and adjacent to these bearings14 the side pieces 20 are curved or inclined downward, as is shown at 21in Figs. land 4; but for the remaining portion of their length the saidside pieces 20 are practically straight, and

they extend a predetermined distance beyond the rear of thesupporting-wheels 11. The side pieces 20 of therear frame-sectiQn-areconnected at their rear ends by parallel crossbars 22 and betweentheircenters and their forward ends by similar parallelbars 23,- as is shownin Figs. 1 and 4.

In -order to strengthen the rear'portion of the forward frame-section A,an arched connecting-bar 24 extends from .one side 15 to the other andis-provided, preferably, with a central member extending down to thepole The drivers seat 25 is supported by a suitable spring-shank 26, andthis shank is preferably attached to the tongue 17.

Bearings 27 are located near the left-hand The side pieces ends of theparallel cross-bars 22 and 23, the bearings 27 being secured to the saidcrossbars, so as to be stationary, and near the opposite ends of thesaid cross-bars 22 and 23 other bearings 28 are slidably mounted on thesaid cross-bars. These latter bearings, as is shown in Fig. 5,preferably consist of an upper section 28 and a lower section 29,adapted to enter the spaces between a pair of cross-bars, and at thebottom of the lower section 29 a flange 30 is formed at eachside, so asto prevent the bearings from accidentally being drawn from engagementwith the cross-bars, yet permitting the bearings to slide freelythereon. Bolts 31 are employed to connect the two sections of thebearings 28, so that by loosening the bolts 31 the lower section of thebearing will drop from the upper one, thus permitting the hearings to bereadily detached from their supports.

At the left-hand side of the rear section B of the frame between thecross-bars 22 and 23 a pulling drum or' cylinder C is mounted to turn,and adjacent to the right-hand side of the said rear frame-section, alsobetween the cross-bars 22 and 23, a second pulling cylinder or drum C ismounted to rotate. Each drum or cylinder consists of a series of spokedwheel's32, having central rectangular openings therein, and through thewalls of the cylinder or drum C the rectangular portion of a shaft c ispassed,which shaft is cylindrical at its ends and is journaled in thefixed bearings 27 while the shaft 0 for the drum or cylinder C isjournaled at its ends in the sliding bearings 28, as is shown in Fig. 1.A series of slats 33 is located on the peripheral portions of the wheelsof each drum or cylinder, completing the construction thereof, and theseslats 33,which may be termed pulling-slats, are constructed as is shownin Fig. 6, having their ends 34 flattened and provided with apertures35, whereby the said slats may be secured to the peripheral portions ofthe end wheels 32 by bolts, screws, or their equivalents. The bodyportions of the slats or the portions between the ends of a slat aresemicircular, as is shown at 36 in Fig. 6. slats 33 are so spaced thatthe slats of one cylinder enter the spaces between the slats of theopposing cylinder, and the slats act as gear-teeth, sothat one cylinderimparts movement to the other, and the cylinders turn in oppositedirections, both, however, in direction of the space between them. Thesecylinders or drums are open at each end, and the spaces between theslats enable the dirt and small stones that may be raised to drop intothe cylinders or drums and pass out through their bottom portions or attheir ends, thus keeping the cylinders or drums free from obstructions.

It 'isnecessary that one of the cylinders or drums should betension-controlled with -re- These spect to the opposing drum orcylinder, so that when the thick butts of stalks pass between them oneof the cylinders will give, so as to permit the ready upward passage ofthe stalk. Therefore the cylinder 0 is made movable to and from thecylinder 0, and one end of a spring 39 has bearing against the outer endof each of the sliding boxes 28, the other end of each spring havingbearing against a block 40, held to slide in the spaces between thepairs of cross-bars 22 and 23. These blocks 40 are held in adjustedposition by suitable bolts 41, screws, or the like, passed into theblocks through slots 42, made in the crossbars, as is indicated in Fig.5. Under this construction it will be observed that greater or lesstension may be brought to bear on the movable drum or cylinder C, as maybe required.

When it is desirable to cut the stalks in lengths as the stalks arepulled, one of the drums or cylindersthe drum or cylinder C, forexamplehas sundry of its pulling-slats 33 removed and cutters 37substituted, as is shown in Fig. 2, one of the cutters being shown indetail in Fig. 6. These cutters are likewise flattened at their ends andare provided at such points with apertures for fastening devices, andthe body portion of the cutters is more or less triangular incross-section, as is shown at 38 in Fig. 6. The pulling-slats 33 may bemade of wood, although metal is preferably used for the purpose; but thecutters 37 are made exclusively of metal.

The stationarily-mounted drum or cylinder (1 is provided at the forwardend of its shaft 0 with a beveled pinion 43, which meshes with a beveledgear 44, loosely mounted on the axle 10, and the inner face of the hubof this beveled gear 44 is provided with a clutch 45, mounted in theusual manner to slide upon the axle 10 or to turn therewith. This clutch45 is operated through the medium of a footlever 46, having a suitablespan connection with the clutch, whereby the clutch may be brought intoor out of engagement with the aforesaid wheel 44, which may be termedthe driving-wheel.

A hand-lever 47 is pivoted in the tongue 17 and extends above and belowsaid tongue. The hand-lever carries asuitable thumb-latch 48, whichengages with a rack 49, also carried by the tongue 17, as is shown inFig. 4. Atthe lower end of the hand-lever 47 a chain 50 is attached andextends rearward over a pulley on the tongue 17 to a connection with thecenter of the forward bars 23 of the rear frame-section B. 9

By means of the hand-lever 47 it will be observed that the rearframe-section B may be raised and lowered, and consequently the pullingcylinders or drums C and C may be raised and lowered from or to theground, as occasion may requireas, for example, in

avoiding an obstruction and bringing the drums quickly down to operativeposition again after the obstruction-is passed. r

The rear end of the rear frame-section B is adjusted separately, so thatin operation the drums or cylinders C andC may be brought nearer to orfarther from the ground in the following manner: Bearings 51 areattachedto the rear member of the rear cross-bars 22, and in these hearings theshanks 52 of casterwheels 53 are looselymounted, and above and below thesaidv hearings on the said shanks 52 of the caster-wheels sleeves 54:and 55 are located, being adjustably secured to the shanks 52 byset-screws or their equivalents.

In order that the stalks may be accurately directed to thecontacting-points between the two drums or cylinders C and C, I employwhat I term gathering-arms 56, which are attached usually to the rearvend of the forward frame-section A at each side of the tongue or pole 17and are carried forward beyond the front end of the said frame, wherethe arms 56 are curved outwardly in opposite directions, formingdirecting members 56, as is particularly shown in Fig. 1. I

The machine is operated by the driver from his seat and is of simple anddurable construction, as one man and one team can operate the machineunder all circumstances. The cylinders or drums C and C commence to pullthe stalks at their tops, thus uprooting them, and should the stalksbreak off during the gripping and pulling operation the cylinders willcontinue to take hold of the stalks'unless they should break off near tothe ground. As has been stated, by reason of one drum or cylinder beingtension-controlled and having sliding movement relativeto the otherample space is provided between the two drums or cylinders for the readypassage of the thick sections of the stalks, and the cylinders or drumswill continue to take hold of the stalks unless they should break offnear to the ground. The gathering-arms 56 gather and convey the stalksto the point of contactbetween the pulling'dr'ums or cylinders, whichimmediately draw them from the ground.

The machine does not require a skilled person to operate it and can bedriven over stumps or other obstructions by operating thehandlever 47.All parts are interchangeable, and therefore can be easily repaired andparts substituted. The pulling device may be readily raised and loweredas occasion may demand and operated at any desired height from theground. It will be understood that changes in the form and proportionsof the minor details of construction may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. In a machine for pulling stalks, opposing cylindershaving slatted body portions in mesh, one cylinderhaving slidingrelation to the other, cutters alternating with the slats of one'of thecylinders, serving likewise the purpose of a slat, supports for thecylinders,

and means for raising and lowering the cylin iders upon their supports.

.i 2. In a machine for pulling stalks, oppositely-locatedpulling-cylinders mounted to revolve and having their body portions inposing cylinder, the said cutters extending.

practically the length of the cylinder, and a driving mechanism for thestationarily-mounted cylinder, as described.

3. In a machine for pulling stalks, a forward wheel-supported frame, arear frame mounted to turn in vertical relation with the wheel-.supported frame, pulling-cylinders mounted to revolve in the rearframe, having openslatted body portions in mesh, means for giving onecylinder tension-controlled sliding relation to the other, which othercylinder is mounted in stationary bearings, both cylinders having a.downward and rearward .inclination, cutters carried by one ofthe-cylinders, alternating With the slats thereof and adapted to enterthespaces between the slats of the opposing cylinder, a drivingconnection between the wheel-supported forward frame and thestationarily-mounted cylinder, means carried by the forwardwheel-supported frame for raising and lowering the rear frame carryingthe cylinders, and caster-wheels, adjustders mounted to revolve inthe'rear frame,"-

each cylinder being provided with pulling peripheral slats and one ,ofthe cylinders with interposed cutters parallel with the slats, eX-

tending practically the length of the said cylinder, the bodies of thesaid cylindersbeing in mesh throughout the length of the slats andcutters, and a driving connection between one of the cylinders and thedriving mechanism carried by the forward wheel-supported frame, supportsfor the cylinders, and devices for simultaneously raising and loweringthe cylinders upon'their supports.

5. In amachine for pulling stalks, a sup-- porting-frame, cylindersmounted to turn in the bearings of the said frame, one cylinder havingsliding relation to the other, each cylinder comprising a series ofbody-wheelssecured to their carryingaxle, and slats arranged atintervals at the peripheral portions In testimony WhereofIhave signed myname of the said Wheels, the slats of one cylinder beto thisspecification in the presence of two sub- 10 ing in mesh with the slatsof the opposing scribing Witnesses.

cylinder, cutters alternating with the slats of 1 i T 5 one cylinder andarranged for meshing GDORGL MILTOh KlltKlA'lltlCK.

gagernent With the opposing cylinder, and Witnesses: raising andlowering devices for the cylinders, HERMAN HOFFMANN,

as set forth. W. I. Coeems.

